Stuart Broad faces axe with England set to bring in Steve Finn for third Test

England are preparing to drop
Stuart Broad for next week’s crucial third Test against India in Kolkata.

Stuart Broad (right) has struggled to find form on England’s tour of India (Picture: Getty)

Despite this week’s memorable victory in Mumbai, which levelled the four-match series at 1-1, the tourists are ready to ruthlessly dispose of their struggling vice-captain with bowling coach David Saker questioning his attitude.Broad has bowled 36 overs without a wicket over the first two Tests and Steven Finn is primed to replace him.Finn bowled in a match for the first time yesterday since sustaining a thigh strain in the opening game of the tour, taking four for 50 for the England Performance Programme’s against a DY Patil Academy XI.Afterwards, Finn tweeted: ‘Good to be back in the park today. 16 overs is gonna hurt in the morning though. Stretcher for me tomorrow.’Saker did little to hide the management’s intentions of bringing the 23-year-old in for Kolkata, saying: ‘He’s a special talent and has the pace we probably need for this place. We’d like to get him in the team.‘We’re still not sure about his fitness but the great thing is we have a game so we can find out. If he can get through that there’s no doubt he’ll come into the selection picture.’On Broad, the plain-talking Australian was less complimentary. ‘He’s finding it tough,’ said Saker.‘Bowling fast over here isn’t easy and you have to find a way to survive. His performance [in Mumbai] wasn’t up to scratch.‘He probably just hasn’t played that well in these two Tests. Maybe he’s looking for something that just isn’t there. He needs to front up and find out what’s the best way to go about it over here.‘The great fast bowlers have had success here so you don’t just say the fast bowlers are going to have no influence – a defeatist attitude like that is not accepted.’